Apparatus for forming a railway car



March 19, 1968 T. LANE APPARATUS FOR FORMING A RAILWAY CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. e, 1965 .m m w Omg NVQ l @v ,G |`a||| Q* w -l K wm. wm. mm. QQNW NGL@ INVENTOR.

THOMAS LANE BY 5j 27.

ATTORNEY T. LANE APPARATUS FOR FORMING A RAILWAY CAR March 19, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1965 March 19, 1968 A T. LANE 3,373,594

APPARATUS FOR FORMING A RAILWAY CAR Filed Aug. 6, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3.

FIG, 4.

Unite States 3,373,594 APPARATUS FOR FORMING A RAILWAY CAR Thomas Lane, Crown City, Ohio, assignor to ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Fiied Aug. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 477,753 Claims. (Cl. 72-399) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE Background and description of the invention Heretofore in the fabrication of covered hopper cars having arcuate sides, each arcuate side has been first formed in a fiat side sub-assembly comprising a flat side sheet, a lower side sill welded to the lower marginal portion of the side sheet, and an upper reinforcing chord member secured along the upper marginal portion of the side sheet. The side sub-assembly has then been folded about the bulkheads and welded thereto. It is sometimes diflicult to fold the side sub-assemblies about the bulkheads and obtain a tight fit suitable for welding the sides to the bulkheads as the side sheets oftentimes do not fold or bend in an even manner. Thus, the present invention relates to apparatus for folding the side sub-assemblies about the bulkheads so that an even tight t is obtained between the side sheets and bulkheads to facilitate welding of the side sheets to the bulkheads.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for folding the generally flat sides of a covered hopper railway car into a generally tight fitting position about arcuate bulkheads for welding the sides to the bulkheads.

The present invention comprises a pusher structure having a generally arcuate frame with an inner contour similar to the side of the covered hopper car to be formed. A plurality of spaced projections extend outwardly from the side of the pusher frame adjacent the fiat sheet of the covered hopper car and each projection is mounted for separate individual movement toward and away from the frame. The frame carries uid pressure means to bias the projections outwardly into engagement with the flat side sheet under a generally uniform force to fold the side sheet about the bulkheads for welding.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIGURE l is a side elevation of the apparatus comprising the present invention for folding a generally at sheet about bulkheads of the covered hopper car and showing a side sheet assembly adjacent the bulkheads;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE l showing a side sheet assembly on each side of the bulkheads and a pusher structure for each side sheet assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a partial end elevation similar to FIG- URE 2 but showing a pusher structure in engagementk atent with a side sheet assembly in fol-ded position against the bulkheads;

FIGURE 4 is Va partial front elevation of a portion of an intermediate pusher structure of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial side elevation of the pusher frame with a portion broken away to show the projections for engaging the side sheets; and

FIGURE 6 is a section taken generally along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, a generally flat side sheet assembly generally indicated 10 is suspended from hooks H on an overhead crane (not shown). Side sheet assembly 10 comprises a flat side sheet 12, a side sill 14 secured, such as by welding, to the lower marginal portion of side sheet 12, and an upper reinforcing member 16 secured, such as by welding, to the upper marginal portion of side sheet 12. A plurality of bulkheads B and hopper outlets E are spaced along the length of side sheet assembly 10 between trucks T.

For folding each side sheet assembly 10, end pusher structure 20 and intermediate pusher structures 20A are spaced along the length of each side sheet assembly. Intermediate pusher structures 20A differ from end pusher structures 20 in that the lower end portion of each intermediate pusher structure 20A is bifurcated as shown in FIGURE 4 to form lower end portions 22 positioned closely adjacent the hopper outlets'E.

Each pusher structure 20, 20A includes a generally rigid frame 26 having an arcuate inner contour similar to the adjacent bulkheads B. Each frame 26 comprises a pair of parallel side plates 28 connected by an outer end plate 30. Extending between plates 28 are partitions 32 having a plurality of pairs of aligned openings 34 therein receiving and supporting pins generally designated 36. Each pin 36 has an outer end 38 projecting from frame 26 and adapted to contact an adjacent flat side sheet 12. A detent 40 on each pin 36 prevents the pin being pulled outwardly from openings 34.

To bias pins 36 outwardly into engagement with fiat side sheet 12 a flexible air conduit or hose 42 is positioned between end plate 30 and the adjacent partition 32 as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. A suitable source of air, such as an air compressor C, is connected to each conduit 42 through line 44. A pair of relatively thin flexible metal strips 46 fit against partition 32 and hose 42 to contact end 50 of pins 36 to bias the pins outwardly into engagement with the adjacent side sheet 12. Each pin 36 is mounted for separate relative movement and may be pushed inwardly against ilexible strips 46 and conduit 42 as shown in FIGURE 5. An air pressure of around 350- 400 p.s.i. has been found satisfactory for urging pins 36 outwardly and folding side sheet 12 against bulkheads B in a generally uniform manner.

To contact side sill 14, a lower pusher 52 having an inner contour 54 similar to the adjacent surface of sill 14 is pivotally connected at 56 to the lower end of pusher frame 26. An upper pusher 58 is xed to the upper end of frame 26 and is adapted to contact the adjacent upper reinforcing member 16 of side sheet assembly 10.

To move the pusher assembly 10, a lower hydraulic cylinder 60 adjacent each pusher structure 20, 20A has a piston rod pivoted at 56 to side sill pusher 52. A vertical support 62 pivotally supports at 64 the outer end of cylinder 60. Links 65 pivotally support pusher 52 at pivot 63 and have lower ends pivoted at 67. As shown in FIGURE.

4, intermediate pusher structure 20A has a cylinder 60 for each bifurcated lower end portion 22. Links 65 are connected adjacent their lower ends by a bar 66 in axial alignment with pivots 67. For supporting the upper end of frame 26, an upper hydraulic iiuid cylinder -68 is pivoted adjacent one end at 78 to an extension 72 on vertical support 74. The opposite end of -cylinder is pivoted at 80 to the upper end of frame 26.

Operation is as follows:

Bulkheads B, outlets E, trucks T are tirst positioned between a pair of opposite side sheet assemblies such as shown in FIGURE 2, the side sheet assemblies 10 being supported from hooks H or the like. Fluid pressure is supplied to cylinders 6G and 68 to move a pusher frame 26 into engagement with each side sheet assembly sheet 10 for folding side sheet assembly 10 about the bulkheads. Side sill pusher 52 engages side sill 14 and upper pusher 58 engages upper reinforcing member 16 to grip the ends of side sheet assembly. Further movement of cylinders 60 and 68 folds side sheet 12 about the outer edges of bulkheads B and pins 36 engage the outer surface side sheet 12. In the event of folds or wrinkles in side sheet 12, the pins 36 tend to remove such irregularities as a constant uniform pressure is exerted thereby. Thus, a relatively tight iit is obtained around the contacting edges of bulkheads B so that a suitable weld may be made between the bulkheads the side sheets 12.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for folding a generally flat side sheet of a covered hopper car against bulkheads to provide a tight fit for welding, a pusher structure adapted to be positioned adjacent the iiat side sheet, said pusher structure including a generally vertically extending rigid frame of a concave inner contour generally identical to the outer side surface of the covered hopper car, the lower end of said frame being bifurcated to form a pair of diverging lower end portions, a plurality of individually mounted pins spaced along the height of said frame each having a portion projecting from the inner surface of the rigid frame, said frame having a plurality of projecting holders permitting the pins to move relative to the frame, a iiuid conduit carried by said frame and having a tiexible portion disposed adjacent said pins for urging said projecting members outwardly under a generally uniform force for engaging an adjacent side sheet, each of said pins being separately movable to deform the iiexible portion when pushed inwardly toward said flexible portion, and fluid pressure means adjacent each end of the frame for moving the frame toward and away from the flat sheet to be folded against the bulkheads.

2. In apparatus for folding a generally at side sheet assembly of a covered hopper car against bulkheads which assembly includes a flat side sheet and a side sill secured adjacent a marginal portion of the side sheet; the irnprovement comprising a pusher structure adapted to be positioned adjacent the side sheet assembly, said pusher structure including a vertically extending rigid frame of an arcuate inner contour generally similar to the outer side surface of the covered hopper car to be formed, a plurality of individually mounted elongate projecting members spaced along the height of said frame each having a portion projecting from the inner surfa@ Of the rigid frame and adapted to contact the fiat side sheet, a side sill pusher mounted adjacent the lower end of said frame for relative pivotal movement and movable therewith for engaging the side sill of said assembly, fluid pressure means carried by said pusher structure biasing the projecting members outwardly to engage a flat side sheet to be folded, said fluid pressure means permitting each projecting member to be separately movable toward and away from said rigid frame and exerting a constant force against the projecting members for continuously biasing the projecting members outwardly, and separate iiuid pressure means connected to the pivot of the side sill pusher on the frame for simultaneously moving the frame and side sill pusher toward and away from the side sheet assembly.

3. In apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said first mentioned iiuid pressure means comprising a iiuid conduit carried by said frame and extending generally along the height thereof, said iiuid conduit having a flexible portion disposed adjacent said projecting members for urging the projecting members outwardly under a generally uniform force for engaging an adjacent at side sheet, each of said projecting members being separately movable to deform the flexible portion when pushed inwardly toward the iiexible portion upon contact with said flat side sheet.

4. In apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said rigid frame comprising a pair of spaced generally parallel side plates, an end plate connecting the outer ends of said side plates, and a exible iiuid conduit positioned between the end plate and the projecting members to urge the projecting members into contact with the flat side sheet.

5. In apparatus for folding a generally flat side sheet assembly of a covered hopper car against bulkheads which assembly includes a iiat side sheet and a side sill secured adjacent a marginal portion of the side sheet; the irnprovement comprising a pusher structure adapted to be positioned adjacent the side sheet assembly, said pusher structure including a rigid frame of an arcuate inner contour generally similar to the outer side surface of the covered hopper carto be formed, a plurality of individually mounted pins spaced along the height of said frame each having one end portion projecting from the inner surface of the rigid frame and adapted to contact the at side sheet, a side sill pusher mounted adjacent the lower end of said frame for relative pivotal movement and movable therewith for engaging the side sill of said assembly, a iiexible iiuid pressure conduit carried by said pusher disposed adjacent the Opposite end portions of said pins for biasing said pins outwardly to engage the dat side sheet to be folded, said iiexible fluid conduit being deformed by the movement of said pins in a direction toward the conduit and permitting each pin to be separately movable toward and away from the rigid frame for continuously biasing the pins outwardly, support links pivotally connected to said side sill pusher to support said frame and side sill pusher, and separate iuid pressure means for moving the side sill pusher and pusher frame. toward and away from the side sheet assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,040,466 5/ 1936 Christy 269--22 X 2,536,643 2/ 1951 Hausdorfer et al 72--397 2,888,973 6/1959 Yurka 72-397 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

E. SUTTON, Assistant Examiner. 

